New York Fashion Week!

My bags are packed, my clothes are picked out, and I'm on my way to New York Fashion Week! This NYFW is especially important to me because it will be my fifth and last one. With college in the fall (I'm hoping to go to school out west), I won't be here for next season's collections. I really hope I can appreciate every experience this week, and I hope I can be grateful for all the awesome NYW adventures I've been able to have over the past few years. It's been a dream come true to be a teenage fashion week reporter! I have dozens of show invites this season, and I'm stoked to see some amazing clothes. Be sure to follow my NEW instagram, @TheGirlInTheCheckScarf, like my facebook page, and follow me on twitter (@ThePoshKid) for updates! Happy Fashion Week!

 

Adventures In Fashion: That One Cool Time I Met Glenda Bailey And Elie Tahari

This actually happened.

Sorry for my blogging hiatus! I had a crazy week with Thanksgiving and college applications. I hope you had a lovely holiday! Today, I thought I'd share a really special experience I had during fashion week. Enjoy!

I'm a huge fan of Ammara and her brand (I've posted about her collections here), and I was so excited when she told me that she would be speaking at Saks Fifth Avenue. The event was held to celebrate the anniversary of Sak's Wear Now floor, and I was so excited to attend! My excitement grew even more when I found out that Harper's Bazaar's editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey, fashion stylist Mary Alice Stephenson, and fashion designers Elie Tahari, and Alice Temperley would also be in attendance. 

Harper's Bazaar really means a lot to me. HB was the first fashion magazine I subscribed to in middle school. I eagerly anticipated its arrival each month. Because of HB, I experienced for the first time what it's like to feel like you're in another world because of fashion. It didn't matter that I was 13 and living in upstate NY because I had fashion at my fingertips. The magazine helped me to realize my love of trends, and the editorials helped me develop my eye for photography.

To me, Glenda Bailey is on the same level of awesomeness as Super Man. I was determined to meet Glenda and thank her for the contribution she's made to my fashion career.

I hurt a bit to RSVP 'no' to several fashion shows in order to attend the event, but I decided that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The first designer piece I ever owned was a black Elie Tahari pencil skirt (purchased at the Poughkeepsie Salvation Army- I'm a sucker for thrift stores), and to this day it continues to be one of my favorite pieces. The possibility of being able to meet Glenda and Elie was just too amazing to pass up.

When I arrived at Saks, I instantly felt totally out of my league. I look forward to the day when I can attend a fashion event and not feel like a dorky 17 year-old. Fashion people started filling into the 5th floor, and I grabbed a seat and started reading the latest Issue of Harper's Bazaar to keep myself occupied. 

At long last, the panel began. Nothing too groundbreaking was said (questions from the audience to the panel included "What are the top trends for fall?" Answer: red and pointy-toed heels and "What are the benefits of shopping online?" Answer: not having to deal with rude store assistants). I loved hearing Glenda's stories about her work at the magazine. She was really straight forward and genuine, and it's easy to see that she's a very loved and respected editor. Mary Alice Stephenson even got emotional when she was talking about her work with Glenda and the kindness that Glenda showed her when she was getting her start.

My heart started pounding fast when the panel ended. Would I be able to meet Glenda? What would I say? I started chatting with one of Elie Tahari's PR girls and we agreed to take photos of each other with Glenda. I waited (nervously) nearby while Glenda chatted with other attendees. Suddenly, she was free. 'Here we go..." I thought. 

 "... Miss Bailey?"

I earnestly told Glenda how much Harper's inspired me growing up and how it helped me become who I am today, and I thanked her for how she has influenced me. She listened intently and thanked me, saying how grateful she was to hear my words. Then it happened. "Thank you so much for telling me!" Said Glenda. "Also, you're very Bazaar to me." "DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?" Screamed the voice in my head, and I almost toppled off my heels. "Thank you! ... You have no idea how much that means to me!" 

Having Glenda say that I was Bazzar is the equivalent to Shaq tell you you're good at basketball or Einstein tell you that you're smart. It was like she had given me a Harper's Bazaar stamp of approval, and that meant the world to me. 

I thanked my found new friend Katya (Elie Tahari's PR girl) for helping me get photos with Glenda. Just when I thought life couldn't be any better, she said "Would you like to meet Elie?" I think my response was "Seriously? That'd be great!" but what I was thinking was "Is this real life?" Elie was a really hilarious, really nice man. It was so awesome to speak with him. 

I walked from Saks to Grand Central feeling like I was on Cloud 9. I just kept playing the night over and over again in my mind. Meeting Glenda and Elie has been one of the highlights of my year, and I don't think I'll ever forget it.

This is me, taken in the Saks elevator when I was leaving. I didn't make this face. It was just sort of frozen that way.

Look And Learn

via

I love this school themed ed. It seemed appropriate considering that school is right around the corner. I can't believe I'm going to be a senior this year. It just baffles me. Where did the time go? It didn't really hit me until last week when I had to say goodbye to dear friends as they left for college. I'm so happy for them and what they will achieve and learn, but holy cow, I miss them already! Actually, college and school are the reasons that I have been posting so rarely these past few weeks. I've been doing math, french, and music theory all summer in order to get higher scores on my ACT and earn some extra credits. I have really missed blogging, but I'm really happy with improving scores and my french literacy. Hopefully I'll be able to pace myself and not neglect blogging in the upcoming school year! Thank you so much for continuing to read and subscribe during this time. I love and appreciate every comment and new reader more than you know. Happy Monday!

Be sure to check out my project with Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape!

Jewel Tones, Leather And Red Carpet Gowns at Sachin + Babi Fall 2012

It was Valentines Day in the big apple, and I was busy freezing my toes off and hurriedly making my way to Cedar Lake for the Sachin + Babi show.  It was an incredibly intimate affair- there were four or five rows for seating on either side of he runway and several dozen people standing. The collection was drop dead gorgeous- leather pieces and gem stone colors paraded down the runway while a thumping beat paced the models. 
I love that they decided to do a feminine, sophisticated take on leather- it was everywhere! It really gave the collection a rocker edge. There were many dresses done in leather that would have been terribly sweet and girly in any other material. They also showed some incredibly beautiful red carpet-ready gowns which had breathtaking movement and striking color.The styling was wonderful because it was easily achievable without being boring, which is something I really appreciate.
I love it when I can see each piece in a collection instead of designers piling a million things on a model at the same time There were several vibes going on in the collection, but they were all very cohesive. It all reminded me of a ladylike fashion 'it' girl who got dipped in a vat of goth style and who went on her merry way. There was many contrasts throughout the collection such as ostrich feathers and crocodile, strict pencil skirts and and maxi skirts, and leggy gowns and conservative day wear. Another collection highlight was the seriously amazing coats and some sweet ladylike skirts- some done in leather pieces and some featuring ostrich feathers. Hands down one of my favorite collections from New York Fashion Week! 

My pictures from the show aren't too stellar, but I picked some of my favorite looks from Style.com to show you. 

Big thanks to Sachin + Babi for letting me attend the show. You can check them out on the web here and show them some love on twitter here!

*Photos by myself and style.com

Checking Out Laura Siegel Fall 2012

During NYFW I had the pleasure of stopping by a snazzy little pop-up showroom at ACE Hotel to get an up-close look of Laura Siegel's latest creations for fall 2012. I'm not sure if I can say enough nice things about Laura and her wonderful work! There are a lot of designers who are hardworking, but Laura's got the heart to boot. She's incredibly passionate about her work and the artisans that she collaborates with in order to create her incredible clothing. The best part is, it's not just her. I really felt like ever member of her team saw her dreams just as much as she did. It was really very moving and refreshing. You see the young designers on TV shows throwing hissy fits and complaining about how badly they want to 'make it.' They should really take a lesson from Laura and her hard work instead of being divas.

Laura's impressive resume includes studying at Central Saint Martins in London and Parsons School of Design in New York, as well as working with Luca Luca and Yigal Azrouel. Her design talent is simply breathtaking. There wasn't a single piece I saw that I wouldn't wear immediately (it also helps that most of the pieces were very dark, and that's the only thing I wear. haha). Laura worked with skilled artisans across the globe to produce the collection.  Everything about the collection was done by hand- stitching, dying, embroidering, etc! She even worked with cotton spinners!

Below are the stamps used to print the fabric. This is called Ajrakh Block Printing, and it comes from a family in India who has been printing fabric this way for ten generations. The stamps are carved out of wood, dipped in bees wax, and then pressed onto the fabric. The portion of fabric that was touched by the wax remains un-dyed, giving the fabric a cool contrast. The grey dyes come from eucalyptus while the purple comes from the matta root.

Enjoy!

The clothes in the collection were really wonderful. I could see myself wearing everything! There was a common dark color scheme, but each piece was original because of its print and material (materials in the collection ranged raw silk, bamboo, jersey, merino, alpaca, and eco-cotton.) As you can probably guess, everything felt just as amazing it looked. The cuts were interesting as well, and the collection featured many maxi skirts, asymmetry, and thoughtfully-placed cut outs. 
The fit in the collection was rather relaxed. No pieces were too tight, but none were baggy and lazy either. Everything had just the perfect amount of flow and fall. 

When working with embroiderers, Laura gave them a rough outline and told them her inspiration; she then let them interpret it as they wish. The result was beautiful!

I love this print! The dying is all-natural, and it comes from Munnar, a city in the Indian region of Kerala. 

The pieces within the collection have such promising layering potential. I can look at each piece and think of at least six ways to style each one. Don't you just love it when chic goes versatile?

The blouses were some of my favorite pieces; they have perfectly rounded shoulders and they're the perfect cut (not too baggy, not too fitted). Want. Want. Want. The details were fun as well: over-sized stitches, embroidery, 

I found out that Laura makes THE perfect pair of printed pants that'll give Isabel Marant's stamped jeans a run for their money.

Actually, she just makes really good pants in general. haha.

The jewelry was part of a collaboration with Nicole Messina. The bells used were from Indian cowbell makers! Laura told me that the men who make the cowbells thought it was really amusing that American woman would want to wear their handy work. I totally fell in love with the braided rope-and-cowbell bracelet!

I was so grateful for the opportunity to stop by! You can find more of Laura's work online at http://www.laurasiegelcollection.com/. I have loved keeping up with her success and achievements and I know that there are many, many good things to come for this girl.
 Which pieces are your favorite?